Thursday, October 23, 2014 - Page 7

The Dysfunctional Missouri Legislature

When a steadfastly Republican newspaper like the News-Press is compelled to rebuke Missouri legislators for
their misplaced priorities, as it did last year over their efforts to enact unconstitutional state nullication laws,
that should alert all voters that our lawmaking process has gone awry. But foolish nullication laws are only
one aspect of the problem.
A $3,000 Dinner in Texas (and cab fare, too)
Missouris weak ethics laws and counterproductive term limits have created a system whereby lobbyists and
wealthy campaign donors, working with secretive and ideologically driven organizations like the American
Legislative Exchange Council (known as ALEC) set too much of the legislative agenda. Ordinary citizens nd
themselves unable to inuence a system that is ush with cash from unregulated lobbyist gifts and unlimited
campaign contributions.
As reported recently, ve Missouri legislators were feted to a more than $3,000 dinner at the Dallas Chop
House last August, with the tab picked up by a dozen lobbyists. Those legislators included House Speaker
Tim Jones and Republican Majority Leader John Diehl. They were in Dallas to attend the annual convention of
ALEC (the other three were State Senators Ed Emery and Wayne Wallingford, and Rep. Sue Allen).
Seven of the lobbyists concealed their largess by falsely reporting the expense as a gift to the entire General
Assembly. But the other ve correctly reported the expense as a gift to the individual attendees, thereby
exposing the subterfuge. This incident shows not only the endemic corruption of lobbyist gifts, but also the
malign inuence of ALEC in our lawmaking process. Term limits have created an atmosphere in which too
many lawmakers think they must act quickly to accomplish their priorities while positioning themselves for
higher ofce, thus ceding to ALEC and other lobbyists the drafting of important legislation (the recent tax cut
bill and the teacher accountability standards of proposed Constitutional Amendment 3 are two examples).
The Dangers of the Veto-Proof Supermajority
When legislation does emerge, too often it is not only ideologically driven but ill-considered as well. Missouri,
like half of the other state legislatures, now has a veto-proof supermajority which means that the Republican
Party can enact its vision untempered by compromise. The middle ground that was once emblematic of the
Missouri legislature has disappeared in favor of a stark extreme.
The contrast between the administrations of Republican Governors Bond and Ashcroft, during which Democrats
held a two-thirds majority in the legislature, and the current supermajority could not be greater. Not a single
veto was overridden during their administrations. But last September the Republican led legislature overrode
57 vetoes by Governor Jay Nixon affecting state spending, abortion, gun rights and a variety of other things.
That not only set a single year record, it doubled the total number of veto overrides since 1820. The previous
record number was ten in 2013.
As long-time Republican political analyst Steve Rose explained in a recent column, part of which is excerpted
at left, low voter participation in the electoral process leads to unbalanced political power. Too often moderates
stay home, while the most partisan are more likely to vote, which thus makes our state more politically divided
in its legislature than are its citizens.
The wake-up call for Missouri voters should be the dangers posed by the present veto-proof supermajority.
Such supermajorities can allow lawmakers to override vetoes, change the tax structure and rates, place
constitutional amendments on the ballot all without participation by the opposing party which is also elected
to represent the people, as has happened in Missouri.
Since that supermajority is a narrow one, two in the House and one in the Senate, voters in District 1 can act
to end such unbalanced power, and the corruption that travels with it, by again sending a conservative rural
Democrat to the state legislature.
You would think that
effective legislatures would
address the most pressing
problems in the state . . .
(but instead) Missouri(ans)
are poorly served by their
representatives out-of-
proportion focus on trying to
(nullify) federal laws . . .
Effective and respected law
makers get things done, move
the state forward and improve
the lives of citizens.
From Focus on Passing Laws
Truly Helpful to the Public,
St. Joseph News Press,
July 6, 2013
Low turnout primary
elections in this country
where moderates do not get
out and vote, but the hard
right does result in extremist
candidates, who end up
governing, particularly in
our legislatures. They may
not really refect the average
citizens philosophy . . .
It will take a wake-up call to
motivate more people to go to
the polls . . . (which) is likely to
be (legislative overreach) . . .
When only small percentage
of people bother to follow
events and take the time to vote,
they are saying they do not care
who governs them.
Yet, those elected to govern
by a small minority of voters
set the agenda for every
governmental unit in America,
from a small town . . . to state
legislatures, to the Congress of
the United States.
From Voters Apathy
Leads to Unbalanced Power,
The Kansas City Star,
August 17, 2014
NORTHWEST MISSOURI VOTERS CAN RESTORE BALANCE
TO OUR POLITICAL PROCESS ON NOVEMBER 4TH
Articles in this series are archived at: www.mod1dem.com
The Fairfax Class of 2020
is hosting a County-Wide
Junior High Dance at the
Fairfax High School Satur-
day, November 8, 2014. The
dance for 7th and 8th grad-
ers will be held from 7-9
p.m. with an admission fee
of $5. There will be a small
snack bar available. Parents
will have to sign their child
in and out of the dance.
Jr. high dance
Taylor Brown, a student
at Tarkio R-I, and chaper-
one, Tarkio FCCLA Advisor
Dara Wennihan, attended
the 2014 Missouri Fam-
ily, Career and Community
Leaders of America (FC-
CLA) Fall Leadership Con-
ference October 12-13, 2014,
at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage
Beach, MO. More than 1,100
FCCLA members, advisors,
and chaperones attended
the conference.
FCCLA members were
able to choose from a va-
riety of different sessions.
Sunday sessions included
trainings on professional-
ism, networking, fundrais-
ing, careers, and commu-
nication. Monday sessions
included trainings for new
members, chapter ofcers,
regional ofcers, and gen-
eral leadership training. All
trainings were performed by
professional speakers from
TRI Leadership Resources.
Members were inspired to
help others and be positive
leaders.
Family, Career and Com-
munity Leaders of America
Taylor Brown attends
FCCLA Leadership Training
is unique among youth or-
ganizations because its pro-
grams are planned and run
by members. It is the only
Career and Technical Stu-
nal game with her biggest
drive yet. The weather is
perfect and the atmosphere
is full of excitement for her
senior year!
Hadley Ann Barnett is
the daughter of Jamie and
Melody Barnett. Jamie is a
Wal-Mart Pharmacy Man-
ager in Maryville, Missouri,
and is also a member of the
Tarkio R-I School Board.
Melody is the Tarkio R-I
music teacher for both the
elementary and high school.
Hadley has three loving sis-
ters, Bree, Jae, and Alex.
Growing up, Hadley will
always remember the va-
cations her family took to-
gether, especially to Disney
World. Her trips to Wash-
ington, D.C., will always be a
favorite memory, too. Hadley
will also always remember
when she was badly dehy-
drated and was in the hospi-
tal, not her fondest memory,
but still a memory.
Throughout high school,
Hadley has kept herself
very busy by participating
in many activities. As every-
one knows, golf consumes
Hadleys life. Shes played
golf for Tarkio for four years
and made it to state three of
those four years. Shes also
been in the following activi-
ties every year she has been
in high school: basketball,
student council, FCCLA,
FBLA, Interact, A+, FCA,
scholar bowl, band (she was
a drum major for two years),
choir, musical theater, and
National Honor Society. As
you can see, Hadley is very
involved.
When Hadley does have
free time, she loves to hang
out with family, baking, and
sewing. She has also kept
not one, but two summer
jobs for the past two sum-
mers at the Tarkio Munici-
pal Pool and Liberty Fire-
works. When Hadley gets
time to relax, you can nd
her enjoying some Mexican
food and watching some St.
Louis Cardinals baseball.
When they arent playing,
she enjoys watching Boy
Meets World, Friends, and
all the wedding and DIY
shows on TLC. When Hadley
is in the mood for some mu-
sic, she will always chooses
country. A favorite movie of
Hadleys would be any kind
of romantic comedy or just a
good comedy. Other than the
St. Louis Cardinals, Hadley
also cheers on the Chiefs,
Steelers, and Mizzou. She
always looks forward to her
English classes. When she
wants a good book to read,
shell go for anything by
Nicholas Sparks.
Throughout high school,
Hadley has made many
memories. Some of her best
memories are golf. She will
always remember winning
district golf her junior year
and visiting many differ-
ent countries with her dad.
Along with the good memo-
ries, Hadley has had some
embarrassing moments,
too. For example, during her
freshman year at the West
Side Story musical perfor-
mance, Hadley was tram-
pled during one of the ght
scenes. Hadley says, Most
embarrassing, terrifying,
yet funny moment ever!
Hadley has always had
big plans for herself after
high school. She plans to go
into pre-pharmacy for two
years and then Pharmacy
School for four years. She is
still undecided on a school,
but she has been accepted
to many schools! Hadley
has played a great game
throughout her high school
career. Shes driven hard
and now it is time for her -
nal putt. Her game isnt over
though, it is just time for her
to end this round and begin
a new one, and we all know
itll be a good one.
FIVE IRRELEVANT
QUESTIONS
FOR HADLEY
If you had the chance to
golf with any pro golfer, who
would it be and why?
Rory McIlroy and Jordan
Speith because they are gor-
geous!
What foreign country
would you revisit? Why?
Ireland because it is
AMAZING, beautiful, and
very peaceful and calming
- Its like the step before
Heaven!
If a Nicholas Sparks
book came true for you,
which one would you choose
to live in and why?
Safe Haven because it
has such a good ending!
Will you be rooting for
the Royals during the World
Series?
(Nervously) I would rath-
er not answer that for fear of
people hating me.
What would your uni-
corn name be?
(After some thought and
channeling her inner Jae)
Rainbow Star Hugs-Chicken
Whiskers!
dent Organization with the
family as its central focus.
Participation in FCCLA pro-
grams and activities helps
members become strong
leaders in their families, ca-
reers, and communities. For
more information, visit the
FCCLA website, www.mofc-
cla.org.
THE 3RD AND 4TH GRADE - East Atchison Wolves
Youth Football Team won their game 13-6 against
Atchison on Saturday, October 18, 2014, in Savannah,
MO. This was the rst round of playoffs for the boys,
who are advancing to the Midland Empire B Division
Championship game this Saturday, October 25, 2014,
at 1:30 p.m. on the south eld at Krug Park in St.
Joseph, MO. Going into the championship game, the
boys have an overall record of 7-1.
(Photo By Mike Farmer)
AARON SCHLUETER, RIGHT - Is pictured with
the tackle in the East Atchison Wolves 5th and 6th
Grade Youth Football win against Hamilton, MO, on
Saturday, October 18, 2014, in Savannah, MO. Though the boys do not advance, it was
great that they ended their season with a win! (Photo By Mike Farmer)
EA Wolves Youth Football Teams compete in playoffs